Bury

The religious profile of Bury changed substantially in the 10 years leading up to the latest census. Data from the census also show there were changes in housing tenure, marriage and health.

The population reached nearly 190,000

In the decade to 2011, the population of Bury increased by 2.5%, from just under 181,000 to 185,000.

The addition of almost 4,500 people means this area's population increased at a slower rate than the total population of England (up 7.9% since the 2001 census).

In 2011, Bury was home to, on average, 13 people per football pitch-sized piece of land.

Population density was higher than the average across the North West

Population density (usual residents per football pitch-sized piece of land) across the North West, March 2011 (larger dots represent greater increase since 2001)

An older Bury

Census 2011 data also show a change in the local population's average age.

Between the last two censuses, the median age of Bury increased by three years, from 37 to 40 years.

This urban area had a slightly higher average age than the North West and became slightly older than the average local authority area across England (39 years of age).

The rise in age was because of an increase of about 4,000 people between the ages of 40 and 49 years, while the population between 30 and 39 years decreased by just under 5,000.

About 15% of people in Bury are aged between 40 and 49 years

Percentage of usual residents in England, North West and Bury by 10 year age band, March 2001 and March 2011

Religion in Bury

The number of people in Bury that described themselves as having no religion increased from about 18,000 in 2001 to just over 34,000 in 2011. This represents a change from 10% to 19% of those who chose to disclose information about their religious beliefs.

The percentage increased by less than the average across the North West (from 10% to 20%) and the average across England (from 15% to 25%).

The number of people in Bury that described themselves as Christian decreased from about 130,000 in 2001 to about 120,000 in 2011 (from 74% to 63%). The number of people who described themselves as Muslim increased from just under 6,800 to about 11,000 (from 3.7% to 6.1%).

Just over 11,000 people (6.7%) did not state their religion, down from about 12,000 in 2001 (6.0%).

The population without a religion in Bury increased by 8.4 percentage points

Percentage of usual residents in England, North West and Bury by religion, March 2001 and March 2011

Disability in Bury

The percentage of Bury residents whose day-to-day activities are not limited by a long-term health problem or disability remained close to 89% in the decade leading up to the most recent census.

In 2011, just over 1 in 25 (4.0%) reported being limited a lot in their day-to-day activities, compared with 3.4% in 2001. The percentage of Bury residents whose day-to-day activities are limited a little by a long-term health problem or disability decreased from 7.3% to 6.8%.

The proportion of people who aren't limited by a long-term health problem or disability fell at a similar rate to the figure for the whole of the North West (which remained close to 89%). Across England, the percentage remained close to 90%.

The proportion of people who aren't limited by a long-term health problem or disability was higher than across the North West

Percentage of usual residents that reported not being limited in their day-to-day activities across local authority areas in the North West and the average across England, March 2011

Rise in private renting

The percentage of privately rented homes increased in Bury at a faster rate than in Stockport (one of the most statistically similar areas to Bury based on ONS area classifications).

In Bury, the proportion of private renting increased from 6.7% in 2001 to 14% in 2011. During the same period, the proportion in statistically similar Stockport increased from 6.5% to 11%.

Across the North West, the share of privately rented homes increased from 8.5% to 15%.

The rate of social housing in Bury fell from 16% to 15%, while the rate of home ownership decreased from 75% to 70%.

Private renting in Bury increased by 7.1 percentage points

Percentage of households in Bury, the North West and England that rented privately, March 2001 and March 2011

Fewer married people

The percentage of adults in Bury that were married decreased from 52% to 48% in the 10 years leading up to the latest census.

In 2011, just under one in three (33%) people aged 16 and over said they were single, compared with 28% in 2001. The percentage of adults in Bury that had divorced or separated from a married or civil partner increased from 11% to 12%.

The proportion of married people fell at a similar rate to the figure for the whole of the North West (from 50% in 2001 to 45% in 2011). Across England, the percentage fell from 51% to 47%.

The proportion of married people was higher than across the North West

Percentage of usual residents aged 16 and over that said they were married across local authority areas in the North West and the average across England, March 2011

Health improved

The percentage of Bury residents that described their health as bad or very bad decreased from 9.9% to 5.9% in the decade to 2011.

Rates are standardised to account for variation in age, which can impact the local population's health.

In 2011, just over 8 in 10 (80%) said their health was good or very good, compared with 68% in 2001. The percentage of Bury residents that described their health as fair decreased from 22% to 14%.

The proportion of residents that perceived their health as bad or very bad fell at a similar rate to the figure for the whole of the North West (from 11% in 2001 to 6.8% in 2011). Across England, the percentage fell from 9.1% to 5.5%.

These data are people’s own opinions in describing their overall health. They may be inconsistent with other measures of health, such as NHS records.

The percentage of people in ’bad’ or ’very bad’ health in Bury decreased by 4.1 percentage points

Percentage of usual residents in Bury, the North West and England said their health was bad or very bad, March 2001 and March 2011

Ethnicity in Bury

The number of people in Bury from the Asian or Asian British ethnic groups increased from about 7,900 in 2001 to about 13,000 in 2011. This represents a change from 4.4% to 7.2% of the local population.

The percentage increased by more than the average across the North West (from 3.8% to 6.2%), but at a similar rate to the average across England (from 5.2% to 8.0%).

The number of people in Bury from the White ethnic groups remained close to 170,000 between the last two censuses (from 94% to 89% of the population). The number of residents from Mixed/multiple ethnic groups (White and Asian, White and Black African, White and Black Caribbean or Other Mixed) increased from about 2,000 to about 3,400 (from 1.1% to 1.8%).

About 1,900 people (0.5%) said they were from the Black, Black British, Caribbean or African ethnic groups, up from just under 860 in 2001 (1.0%).

The population from the Asian or Asian British ethnic groups in Bury increased by 2.9 percentage points

Percentage of usual residents in England, North West and Bury by ethnicity, March 2001 and March 2011

More people living alone

The percentage of one-person households increased in Bury at a faster rate than across England.

In Bury, the proportion of one-person households increased from 29% in 2001 to 31% in 2011. During the same period, the proportion across England increased from 30% to 30%.

Across the North West, the share of one-person households increased from 31% to 32%.

The percentage of households with a cohabiting couple in Bury increased from 8.7% to 10%, while the percentage of households with a married couple decreased from 39% to 34%.

The percentage of households with only one person was lower than across the North West

Percentage of households that comprised only one person across local authority areas in the North West and the average across England, March 2011

Rise in rate of unemployment

The percentage of Bury residents that were unemployed increased from 2.8% to 4.3% in the decade leading up to the most recent census.

In 2011, just over one in two (54%) people aged 16 to 74 said they were employed, compared with 55% in 2001. The percentage of Bury residents that were self-employed increased from 8.1% to 9.1%.

The proportion of unemployed people increased at a similar rate to the figure for the whole of the North West (from 3.6% in 2001 to 4.7% in 2011). Across England, the percentage increased from 3.4% to 4.4%.

The rate of unemployment in Bury increased by 1.5 percentage points

Percentage of usual residents aged 16 to 74 in Bury, the North West and England that said they were unemployed, March 2001 and March 2011

Change in work hours

The percentage of employed people in Bury working less than 16 hours increased from 1.5% to 2.5% in the 10 years leading up to 2011.

In 2011, just under 1 in 12 (8.2%) people aged 16 to 74 (in employment the week before the Census 2011) said they had worked over 49 hours the week before completing the census, compared with 11% in 2001.

The proportion of people working less than 16 hours in a week increased at a similar rate to the figure for the whole of the North West (from 1.7% in 2001 to 3.0% in 2011). Across England, the percentage increased from 1.9% to 3.1%.

The proportion of people working less than 16 hours in a week in Bury increased by 1 percentage points

Percentage of usual residents aged 16 to 74 (in employment the week before the Census 2011) in Bury, the North West and England that said they had worked less than 16 hours the week before completing the census, March 2001 and March 2011

Change in unpaid care provision

The percentage of Bury residents that provided at least 50 hours of weekly unpaid care increased from 2.2% to 2.6% in the decade to 2011.

The percentage who reported providing between 20 and 49 hours of unpaid care each week remained close to 1.2%.

The proportion of people providing 50 hours, or more, of weekly unpaid care increased at a similar rate to the figure for the whole of the North West (from 2.4% in 2001 to 2.8% in 2011). Across England, the percentage increased from 2.1% to 2.4%.

The proportion of people providing 50 hours, or more, of weekly unpaid care in Bury remained close to 2.6%

Percentage of usual residents in England, North West and Bury by care, March 2001 and March 2011

Changes in family structure

The percentage of households in Bury with only adult children living with their parents decreased from 11% to 10% in the decade leading up to the most recent census.

In 2011, just over 3 in 10 (30%) households had at least one dependent child, compared with 32% in 2001. While the percentage of households in Bury without children increased from 57% to 59%.

The proportion of households with adult children living with their parents fell at a similar rate to the figure for the whole of the North West (which remained close to 10%). Across England, the percentage increased from 9.4% to 9.6%.

The proportion of households with only adult children living with their parents was higher than across the North West

Percentage of households where a parent lived with their adult children across local authority areas in the North West and the average across England, March 2011

↑ Back to the top

Area report data

Related links